Outline: Methods and expected results (15 points)
Overview
Your experimental plan
must describe your (1) methods and materials and (2) expected results and
interpretations. Because these two elements are intimately linked, you will
prepare a combined outline for both of these sections.
The methods section will vary depending on the type of research or project you propose (e.g., field research, laboratory study, computer simulation, case study, etc.), but in general, should describe the techniques you will use in sufficient detail to allow the reader to judge whether the project will achieve the stated objectives. This may include a description of your study area, type of equipment or software you will use, laboratory procedures, statistical methods, and experimental design (e.g., variables to be measured, randomization scheme, and replication). In addition to your materials and methods, you should also describe your expected results and interpretations. This section describes how your experiments, observations, computer simulations, etc. will be used to test your hypotheses and draw conclusions. These two key proposal elements may be presented as separate sections, or integrated together into a single description of your experimental plan. An example of the latter approach is given below.
1.1. Experiment 1
1.2. Expected results and interpretations for experiment 1
2.1. Experiment 2
2.2. Expected results and interpretations for experiment 2
Procedure
For this assignment, you will write a combined sentence outline of your (1) materials methods and (2) expected results and interpretations. You will later revise this outline based on feedback from one of the other students, and then use the revised outline as a guide for writing the experimental plan of your proposal.Review the assignment on outlines to make sure you understand how to produce a sentence outline before completing this assignment. Make sure that the subheadings that will appear in your methods section are included and clearly identified in your outline.
The materials and methods must describe the:
- Proposed experiments or investigations
- Materials and techniques that you will use, including their feasibility
- Statistical techniques and other methods used to analyze the data
Your expected results and interpretations must describe the:
- Results that will lead you to either accept or reject your hypotheses
- Scope of inference (i.e., to what extent are the results applicable to other locations, times, or situations?)
- Pitfalls that may be encountered
- Limitations to the proposed methods
Submit 2 copies of your outline on or before the due date. One copy will be distributed to another student to critique.
If you do not complete the assignment by the due date, a late penalty will be assigned using the penalties listed in the late assignment policy.